WATCHET councillors have been asked to make the town a fracking-free zone after being warned of a one-in-three chance of the controversial mining coming to West Somerset within five years.

Kevin Ogilvy-White, of the campaign group Frack Free Exmoor, Quantocks and Sedgemoor, told Monday’s council meeting that South Western Energy Ltd had a contract which would allow the company to explore all three areas for shale gas and oil.

The Exmoor area included Watchet, Williton, Blue Anchor and Minehead and Mr Ogilvy-White said he believed that exploratory work would start in one of the three within two years with further major development within five.

“There is a real threat that there could eventually be numerous fracking wells all over West Somerset, only 3km-5km apart and in production for at least 30 years,” he said.